Understanding Naegleria fowleri: From Ecology to Infection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.2702Keywords:
N. fowleri, Pathogens, AmoebaAbstract
Naegleria fowleri, more commonly known as the “brain-eating amoeba,” is a unicellular protozoan found in warm freshwater, artificial water systems, soil, and sediments. Various ecological factors—such as temperature, light exposure, and environmental disturbances—affect N. fowleri’s distribution and abundance. Although it is a single-celled organism, N. fowleri is a highly aggressive and dangerous facultative parasite capable of causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rapidly fatal brain infection. Infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nose, allowing the amoeba to travel to the brain. Once in the brain, it causes inflammation and tissue destruction. Despite the use of drugs, the fatality rate remains extremely high, with very few survivors among reported cases. Timely clinical diagnosis is critical, but it is often difficult due to the nonspecific nature of early symptoms. This paper will review the biology, ecological influences, immune response, and diagnosis of N. fowleri, while also emphasizing the importance of prevention and public awareness in mitigating the risk of PAM.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, May 23). Naegleria fowleri infection.
https://www.cdc.gov/naegleria/about/index.html
Naegleria fowleri. (2025, June 15). In Wikipedia. ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri
Stahl, L. M., & Olson, J. B. (2020). Environmental abiotic and biotic factors affecting the
distribution and abundance of Naegleria fowleri. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 97(1), fiaa238.
https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiaa238
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Free-living amebae Infections.
https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/freelivingamebic/index.html
Marciano-Cabral, F., & Cabral, G. A. (2007). The immune response to Naegleria fowleri
amebae and pathogenesis of infection. FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology, 51(2),
–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-695X.2007.00332.x
Ahmed, A. (n.d.). Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM): Understanding the rare but
deadly infection. Academically Global Healthcare Academy.
https://academically.com/blogs/primary-amoebic-meningoencephalitis-pam-deadly-infection/
Downloads
Posted
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Iris Li

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.